Your growing baby’s development in week 32

Help your growing baby develop in the thirty-second week of your pregnancy

In week 32, your growing baby shifts into an upside-down position to prepare for delivery.

What’s happening this week?

By now, your growing baby is now shifting into a head-down positioni in your womb.

Your growing baby is getting better at sensing the world around him or her. His or her hair is still growing, and he or she has eyebrows and eyelashes too.

This week, your little one weighs about 3.75 pounds (1.7 kilograms) and is now 16.75 inches (42 centimeters) from head to toe.ii

What can you expect?

As your growing baby shifts into an upside-down position, the head may press on your sciatic nerve.iii This may produce tingling or sharp pains in the legs and buttocks – a condition known as sciatica.iv

You should try to ease the pain and have a comfortable pregnancy with these tips:

Try using a heating pad for relief.

Exercise. This helps prevent sciatica and is a treatment option under the guidance of a physiotherapist. Walking and stretching can already help with the symptoms and strengthen your back muscles. Remember to consult your doctor before doing any exercises during your pregnancy.

Have a firm mattress. It should be able to support your shoulders and buttocks to help keep your spine straight.

What can you do to support your pregnancy?

To support the weight of your growing belly and take additional pressure off your back, why not consider getting a specially designed orthopedic pillow? Now’s also the time to ask your partner for extra back rubs!

Your growing baby’s brain is undergoing rapid and complex growth, so maintain a balanced and nutritious diet to support the growth and development. Continue to eat foods rich in DHA, a building block of your growing baby’s brain. DHA accumulates most rapidly in his/her brain during the last trimester of your pregnancy.v